Ex parte POWELL et al. - Page 7




          Appeal No. 1997-1530                                                        
          Application 08/485,198                                                      


          particular art would not have suggested to one of ordinary                  
          skill in the art the obviousness of the invention as set forth              
          in claims 16-25.  Accordingly, we reverse.                                  
               In rejecting claims under 35 U.S.C. § 103, it is                       
          incumbent upon the Examiner to establish a factual basis to                 
          support the legal conclusion of obviousness.  See In re Fine,               
          837 F.2d 1071, 1073, 5 USPQ2d 1596, 1598 (Fed. Cir. 1988).  In              
          so                                                                          
          doing, the Examiner is expected to make the factual                         
          determinations set forth in Graham v. John Deere Co., 383 U.S.              
          1,                                                                          
          17, 148 USPQ 459, 467 (1966), and to provide a reason why one               
          having ordinary skill in the pertinent art would have been led              
          to                                                                          
          modify the prior art or to combine prior art references to                  
          arrive                                                                      
          at the claimed invention.  Such reason must stem from some                  
          teaching, suggestion or implication in the prior art as a                   
          whole                                                                       
          or knowledge generally available to one having ordinary skill               


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